The Wintry Affair
by Roosnoot
Summary: Sometimes the need to get out of the house leads to taking a cross-country roadtrip, and sometimes taking a cross-country roadtrip leads to finding not only your best friends, but the love of your life.
1. Ticket-Booths and Tea-Shoppes

The Wintry Affair

Chapter 1;

'Ticket-booths and Tea-shoppes'

Never ask why. Especially if you're standing on a freezing cold train platform, trying to get a ticket, Never...Ever...ask the operator with the broken microphone, 'Why?' Chances are if you do you'll get nasty looks from the surrounding locals and some more infuriated shouts from the women in the blue uniform who probably should brush her hair. And heaven forbid you have her yell at you, for you even haven't stared the journey! What a bad foot you would start off on! But of course, Toris just happened to make this disgusting mistake.

Why? Why couldn't the Russian government just pay money to fix the dumb microphones? Now somehow every ticket-booth microphone was broken and you had to shout in loud Russian in order to get travel details! It was such a pain, oh yes what a pain it was. Then again it wasn't just the train station, you couldn't ask, 'Why?' Anywhere in Russia in general, you just didn't do it. Maybe it was hints from the Soviet Era leaking through to today or maybe it was just in the Russians blood. There were so many grand things that confused him about this country and the people in it.

As Toris shuffled down the icy platform some people gave him odd looks... It's was probably due to the ticket-booth incident where he had, in fact, Asked the lady, 'Why?' And had a very lengthy and rude argument with her in a language he only knew partially. It had been an embarrassment and a mistake but within twenty minutes he'd put that event completely, and totally behind.

Now his newest struggles were trying not to slip on the thin ice that covered the whole platform and trying to find some sort of tea-booth nearby. Most Russian train stations like this had booths where they sold tea to cold passengers waiting to board. Every where around him he looked he found shivering foreigners and natives, huddling up in their fur coats and listening to old music players, like past generations of iPods.

A couple looked like they were cupping paper cups of warm chai tea in between their red and frozen fingers so there must've been a tea merchant nearby! Toris hurried on by a family of Turkish men towards the end of the station. The further down he got the more tea he saw, he was almost upon it know, he could just sense it!

Suddenly turning to the left he saw it, a small stand set up on the ice with an old electric tea kettle, paper cups and teas of assorted flavours. Toris waited behind woman with beautiful blonde curls and darker skin than normal for a native in line. As she took her cup and passed by he flashed the woman a faint smile. For his own tea he decided on just a basic Chai flavour. The lady at the stand put the bag in a paper cup and poured steaming hot water into it.

"700 rubles." She demanded, holding her hand out for pay. That seemed like a lot for a cup of tea but he handed the money over anyways, she didn't look like the bargaining kind and Toris desperately needed something to warm his body up.

He took the warm cup for himself and shuffled back down the platform towards the many rows of seats. From there he could sit and wait in the cold for a train to arrive, as it wouldn't be coming in for a few more hours. Damn, getting to places like this early was never a good idea...

Toris navigated his way to an empty seat next to two other gentlemen. Both were blonde and bundled up tightly in scarves and coats. On one he could see frost covered glasses just barely peeking out from around all the garb, the other, a pair of piercing blue eyes like the frozen lake of Baikal.

Upon noticing the arrival of a new man, the one with the eyes began to reach into his pocket and fish around for something. Finally, he pulled out some wrapped up horse sausage and pickled radishes. He began to unwrap it before nudging the man next to him.

"Eduard." He mumbled and motioned towards his pocket. Eduard pulled out a small box cutter and handed it over where the younger one began to cut up slices. He handed a few to Toris and a few to his comrade next door. This was often a common ritual, to share food with those around you on trains and in train stations.

Toris mumbled a, 'Thank You', quietly in Russian before accepting the food graciously and beginning to eat. It wasn't until now that he realized exactly famished he had been.

"Raivis." Introduced the young man next to him. With that he took the flask that Eduard was holding and handed it down to Toris. He poured a bit into his chai before handing it back down, where they eat drank from it in big gulps.

"Eduard." Said the other with a quiet before taking out a cigarette to light. His fingers looked frost bitten, as did his lips and most of his skin. Wherever these men had came from must of been even colder.

"Toris." The Lithuanian said simply whole watching them. They both turned to each other and began to mumble in some Slavic language he couldn't understand. Finally they turned back around and began to speak to him in just a broken Russian as he had himself. So they clearly weren't from here originally.

In an hour he had found out all about their families, their favorite foods, what they do at home, and where exactly they were going on this trip. Eduard had two younger siblings who had always depended on him since they were younger. He enjoyed to drink whiskey and eat western food, despite being from Estonia. He planned on finding a big company out in Siberia to join so he could send more money back to his family.

Raivis on the other hand, turned out to be adolescent who ran away from home due to extreme issues. He was a young alcoholic who enjoyed reading literature. He didn't believe in Russian morals but refused to speak up unlike Eduard, who was very loud in his opinions. He was planning to find a sanction somewhere out here, possibly get off near Korea and start again. Every time Raivis mentioned this, Eduard would nudge him and make one of his bad jokes about Korean women.

It seemed odd to Toris that he'd be staying on train for weeks with these men, or a man and a boy. They were certainly the interesting duo, and he wasn't exactly sure how they met. Their conversation had gotten all the way to the discussion of the hockey season before the train arrived.

The three stood up from their seat, wheeling luggage across the ice behind them towards the door. The passion of people here always amazed him, and the journey only just now started.


	2. Dinner with the Comrades

The Wintry Affair

Chapter 2;

'Dinner with the Comrades'

Toris began to shove his luggage down into the small spaces underneath the bunks. On one side of him there was a few tables and benches that you could fold down into bunks if needed. In rows all around him were bunks for sleeping, top and bottom ones. Laying on the bottom one was a pack of sheets packed in thin plastic. He'd have to use these to make himself a bed. He assumed he'd be taking the bottom bunk because someone else had already set a large bag on the one above his.

He began to pull out the sheets from the plastic wrap. Raivis and Eduard had already set up next to him and told him they would meet him in the dining car after he made his bed. The Lithuanian fanned out the sheets before beginning to lean over and stretch them across the bed. He was quite excited to find out who exactly he would be sharing a room with as their was 5 other bunks folded besides Eduard's and Raivis'. They all look occupied due to the number of bags on the racks.

Toris pulled out the small pillow that came with a blanket as well from the conductor. Everyone in third-class was provided with such things just incase they couldn't afford them. They were low quality and not that warm at night but they were something. He set the pillow down and laid the musty yellow blanket, like old mustard, down as well. It was a hideous colour but it's not like he had a choice on the exact shade of covers he got. It'd have to do for now until he could get something that didn't hurt his eyes in another town.

Once Toris' sleeping accommodations were all set up for him he began to pull off his many layers. First his fur coat, then the trench coat under that, and finally the second sweatshirt over his first sweatshirt. As well he put on sneakers instead on snow boots and put on thin slacks. While it was a freezing tundra outside, the inside of Russian trains often baked riders and made the place reek of sweaty bodies and hot seafood.

Toris headed down the train corridor towards the dining car. In the halls he could see several passengers muttering quietly in various languages and lighting up smokes. This was a normal sight on trains here in Siberia. He continued by the dorms towards the sound of laughing and clinking silverware.

Upon entering he was immediately met with the strong smell of Russian cuisine and sweat. People sat in booths everywhere, sipping on vodka and eating together. It seemed that you could order drinks here even if the bar car was a few over. From the corner he could hear laughing and toasts being made. There was his friends.

Eduard and Raivis were sitting in a large, round, booth, chuckling and clinking glasses together with the man beside them. From a distance he could easily tell that he was American, no doubt about it from the way he spoke to the way he held himself. Everything just screamed The Land of the Free. Did the two baltics know this man? Certainly not... Could they? After all, neither of them really knew each other all that well to begin with... Toris began to approach them cautiously as if the American man might lash out and attack him. He was well-built with bright blonde hair and slightly darker tanned skin than most on-board. The Captain America shirt he wore was kind of a huge give-away as to what kind of man he was.

"Hello Eduard, Raivis, your friend." He greeted each of them in turn before sliding into a seat beside the blonde Latvian. He gave a nod to the new American before waving a waitress over to order a whiskey and and borscht.

"Toris, this is Alfred. He's an old friend of mine from a bar when I was young, I just introduced him to Raivis before you walked in." Eduard explained, in perfect English. So they spoke a third language as well? That would certainly come in handy then. Alfred gave Toris a small salute before looking over the menu. A waitress walked over and gave Toris his items before turning to Alfred to take his order.

"Can I get a Diet Coke and some fried potatoes?" He gave the young lady a small smirk and a look up her figure. She just scoffed slightly, looked him over herself and walked away. Alfred was shocked a bit, "What was that all about?" Eduard next to him began to laugh, patting his back.

"The only things you can order on board is alcohol and borscht." Now Raivis and Toris were laughing at well. It was always amusing to see foreigners deal with this.

"But- it's on the menu!" Alfred picked it up and showed it to the two other blondes beside him. But they just continued on laughing at him.

"The menu lies, it's just to make them appear higher-class." Raivis explained. Next to him Eduard was drinking his beer and trying not to laugh. Once calmed down he nudged Alfred in the side with his elbow.

"And if you want any sort of chance with women here then you might want to brush up on your Russian." Alfred just sighed and looked at the three other men at the table with him. Ever since he moved here in hopes of joining the rich oil company owners, he'd been so confused. The culture in Siberia was so much more different than back at home in The Americas. He'd grown up most of his life on a beach so it really was a sudden drop in temperature coming here.

"Hey there, Toris. I'm Alfred F. Jones. Eduard here already introduced me though." He stuck out a hand across the table with a warm smile. His voice was loud and clear. He reminded everyone of the sun...

"Hello, Alfred. You already caught my name apparently. I'm sure you and Eduard have an interesting story as to how you two met?" The Lithuanian took the hand and shook it firmly before pulling away again and raising his eyebrows in question. Alfred laughed a bit and sunk backwards into the booth, either arm resting along the back behind him.

"I guess it is the slightest bit interesting." He shrugged, him and Eduard sharing a glance before he continued. "I'd just moved to Finland to be with some of my family and get this operator job. I'd made a friend there and she had been trying to convince me for ages to go to this one wild bar with her. I'd heard stories about it, people go missing and end up dead in that place every night but she just kept insisting that it was all in good fun."

The two old friends begin to laugh a bit, letting themselves drift away into the time when they first met. A scene playing out before them...

"So I go in with her, have a few drinks, it's fun. By then I'm thinking, 'How could this place ever be a murder hotspot?' I mean, it was gorgeous inside! The prettiest bar I've ever seen." Alfred took a moment, his mind swirling with imagery of beautifully colored drinks and sparkling crystals hanging from the ceiling which caught the light from the dance floor just right so that it made your date look like an angel. "That's when Eduard comes stumbling in, sitting down next to me and ordering a whole 'nother bottle of vodka. He was drunker than anyone else I've ever seen."

Looking at Eduard, he didn't seem like the kind of guy to get drunk or really being into drinking. Smoking? Yeah, but not drinking. Then again, Toris now noticed that he had a cup of rum at his side which he must of ordered before he got there.

"I don't remember a thing from that night." The Estonian laughs and takes a drink. "Alfred ended up taking offering me a ride home but instead we ended up ice skating on the lake outside his flat that he shared with Taika." A pause, "Didn't I have to stay with you for a day or two because I was so sick?"

"Yup. I'd barely met you yet I couldn't just let you go out drunk and sick in the winter." Alfred let out a long sigh and looked up at the ceiling. It'd been eight years since they met but the memory felt like yesterday... "Oh! And Taika said she would try and meet up with us once we get up into the North! I heard she's staying on a Ski Resort right now with her Husband and two sons!"

Ah, yes... Eduard remembered that now. One of the last times Eduard had seen Taika was at her wedding, she had gotten married to a very nice Swedish man and recently had two young sons. He'd always meant to get the time to send the Finnish women a 'Congrats!' Card or leave her some sort of voicemail... But he never had. It'd feel a bit awkward to really talk to her again with the given circumstances.

Eduard hadn't exactly... Enjoyed the wedding and wasn't the most pleasant guest there. Maybe it was because he felt betrayed by one of his best friends who had always told him that she didn't need a husband in her life. Or maybe it was another reason... One that sunk a bit more into his heart.

"I haven't seen Taika in forever! It should be nice to reconnect..." Eduard mumbled a bit and began to mess with his hair, running his hands several times through it. He wasn't sure what kind of reunion it'd end up being...

Toris smiled over at the two. If he saw them on the street, he would of never guessed the bond that they really shared. An American and an Estonian? It seemed like such an odd friend duo to him... Toris reached to his side to actually start on his own drink and sip some of the soup. Borscht was a Russian, originally Ukrainian delicacy that everyone knew for the animal fat they usedin it and the blood like colour of the broth from the cut beets.

He could remember when he was a child, preparing this dish with his sister and brother while his mother made pastries beside them. Cooking in the kitchen was the one thing they always did together... So when his mother stopped helping them make food he could easily foreshadow her suicide just a couple weeks later. It'd left him and his siblings in worse poverty in before and each of them split ways.

The eldest of the three, his brother, was old enough to join a mining company and he soon disappeared. His sister however applied to a sewing factory and began working long days there. She cared for him for a few years before she too, left him and Toris headed off to try and find work.

"I'll be right back, I'm going to go to the restroom." The Lithuanian whispered quietly before getting up and going down the hall. At the end was a food to a small bathroom that gave you barely enough room to move. He knocked on the door and waited... And waited, and waited...

Finally the door opened and a blonde wearing an extremely short skirt and a huge fur cost pushed past him, yelling. They were shouting towards someone at the end of the car.

"Gil! Hold up, I had to straighten my hair!" Toris looked at the couple for a moment before stepping into the bathroom himself.

/ / /

He laughed a bit, hiking up the fur coat around his shoulders and pushing by someone.

"Gil! Hold up, I had to straighten my hair!" Feliks shouted out to his friend. The albino was leaning against the wall, just chuckling at him.

"Straighten your hair, and, put on some new clothes apparently." Gilbert shook his head a bit in amusement. Feliks lifted an end of the coat and brushed it over his face.

"Oh... Shush, shush. You know you're just jealous." He gave Gilbert a wink before linking arms with him and pulling him into the next car. "I heard there's, like, a bakery car here. Interested?" He raised two eyebrows at him.

"Of course, but only if it's red velvet."

/ / /

Toris stretched his arms down to his toes, reaching back behind him as well. Damn, even if he was walking around he still couldn't really run on this train. As well, it was hot. Hot and sweaty from a hundred passengers in way too many furs. He stopped at the window, looking out at the passing villages and swirling snow. Better to be in here than out there then...

"Toris!" Came a shout from the end of the car. "We're going to go play card games on the bunks! Come with us!" It was Alfred, waving a pack of playing cards in his hand. Beside him was Eduard and Raivis, smiling and waving lightly as well.

The Lithuanian grinned at the lot of them before heading down the hall to join them.


	3. The Real Fool

The Wintry Affair

Chapter 3;

'The Real Fool'

Toris settled down into his bunk, wrapping the ugly blanket around his shoulders and crossing his legs. Opposite him was Eduard and Raivis both sitting on a bunk together. Above them was Alfred, swinging his legs cheerily and looking down upon them, quite literally.

"Do you all know the rules of Durak then?" Eduard asked, shuffling out the deck and began dealing out all the cards. "I learned it at a smoking bar with my father when I was only Twelve, it's a very popular game around here."

Raivis nodded to confirm that he knew how to play the game, as did Toris. Alfred however just gave them all a very confused look. Of course, he was American, he wouldn't know the game! Eduard looked up at Alfred and began to explain the rules to him.

"...And so if you are the loser then the attacker continues but if you win then you're the attacker. Make sense?" He checked up with Alfred to make sure that caught all the information.* He nodded, seeming to understand it.

"And what happens if you lose?" He asked, raising his eyebrows. Normally you'd just be proclaimed the Durak, or fool, in Russian. But he wanted a bit more for the loser than that.

"How about the loser has to go out and lay in their underwear in the snow at the next stop?" Toris suggested as he began to fan through his cards. Raivis would be on his team it seemed...

"And the others get to shovel snow on top of him!" The American added on quickly. All the other men began to laugh and agree on the punishment. It seemed reasonable for boys of such nature.

"Shall we begin then?" Eduard fanned out his cards before turning to Raivis and laying out a card in front of him. And this is where the game begins. Upon seeing that it was a eight, Raivis flipped over a nine with a small smirk on his face. Eduard grumbled before putting up a Queen. Raivis just shook his head and picked up all three cards into his deck. Turning towards Toris, Eduard began the same process with him.

/ / /

By now everyone was laughing and counting their cards. Alfred would hand his card choice to Eduard so that he could play for him. Right now it looked like Alfred was going to lose... Suddenly the car's door slid open on both sides and a few people began to shuffle In. Toris looked over at them while Alfred and Raivis battled it out.

There was two women on the end to his left, quietly talking in an unidentifiable language. They were still talking as they picked out bunks. One of them, with short cropped blonde hair and a bright blue headband in her hair was putting up in her stuff on the lower-bunk next Toris'. The other lady with her climbed up to ready her bed on top. She had long pale blonde hair and a white ribbon in her own locks. They both looked very Russian...

On his right, was a larger man. He had hair the same colour as one of the girls, a large nose and a long scarf wrapped tightly around his neck. He could easily reach up and pull the bag off the bunk above Toris, and so he inferred that he'd be his bunk partner. He flashed him a warm smile before beginning his own turn to attack at the game.

The man pulled out a toothbrush, container of food and a sweater before standing next to Toris. It took him a moment to notice, but he must be waiting to put his stuff away below the beds! He stood up and pushed the bunk back against the wall to let him in.

"I think you're losing, Alfred." Eduard laughed and looked up at his American friend above him. Alfred just pouted and kicked Eduard in the back of the head for that comment. Suddenly the train lurched forward as it changed tracks, jostling the car. The two sharing a bunk seat let out a startled screech and held onto the cards as they fell sideways. Alfred on the top, grasped the bed frame just as the two new women did to the windowsills to stay in place. However, some weren't as lucky.

Toris gasped slightly, trying to breathe. Somehow in the moment that the train jumped and the lights flickered, the man nor Toris had time to grab anything. Cards had gone flying and now he was laying on the cold floor, the guest partially on top of him. He was so much heavier than he had expected.

There were playing cards on the floor all around them, as well as the items the other was holding. Toris struggled to slightly push him off himself while the other slowly sat up and looked down at him. He was clearly embarrassed and nervous. How could he of done this?! Toris would have to hate him for the rest of the trip! He suddenly stumbled up and backwards, reaching out a calloused hand to help him up.

"Thank you." He took the hand and pulled himself up with a grunt. The man just mumbled an apology under his breathe before grabbing his things and climbing up into the top bunk with them. Toris rubbed his sides gingerly, he seriously felt like he bruised a rib from that impact.

"So should we continue the game?" He asked while cleaning up all the cards, both his hand and Edaurd's had flown onto the floor.

"What's the point? We all know who the 'Real Fool Is'." At that he glanced over at the man in the bunk across from him. He glared right back at Alfred before turning over.

"Alfred's right, the decks are all mixed up now. We can start this war again in the morning." Raivis nodded and got up to put his own cards back away into the small box. "I'm going to the drink car before bed, anyone want to come along?" Eduard nodded at the offer and grabbed his wallet before following him out.

"Well, goodnight then Toris." He smiled down at him before his legs drew up and he laid down. Toris repeated the parting back before turning over on his own bed. He winced slightly when he pressed down onto his side but otherwise ignored it, he knew it'd feel better by morning.

/ / /

Toris wasn't exactly sure when Eduard and Raivis returned but at some point they did, laughing and singing. He was almost certain that Eduard just ended up passing out on the floor in front of him and Raivis halfway onto his own bunk. As well, some others came in, whispering and giggling to each other. One of the voices sounded awfully familiar... But then again, so would everyone else's by the end of the week.

*How to Play Podkidnoy Durak;

www. gamecabinet rules/ Durak. html

(Copy this and delete the spaces to see the link!)


	4. Serendipity

The Wintry Affair

Chapter 4;

'Serendipity'

As the cold morning breeze and light filtered in, Toris began to stir. The train car was cold and brooding now and hopefully the stokers would be up soon to fuel the heating again. The light coming in from the window directly next to him was pale grey and just the slightest bit depressing. He rolled over on the tough cot with a groan, looking down at the floor. Laying on the room floor, top buttons of his blouse somehow down up with the top ones and vice versa, was a very hungover Estonian. Or at least, he would be when he woke up. Across from Toris in the aisle was Raivis, half his body being so very close to falling over onto Eduard next to him.

Toris observed the pair for a moment as would a mother with her children before stepping off his bed, careful that he was treading on floor and not face. He grabbed the spare clothes scrunched up at the end of the bed and somehow made it out into the silent hallway. Here we could barely hear the quiet early birds in the dining car and those getting up in the rooms around him.

The Lithuanian headed down to the small metal bathroom where he had gone the night before and crammed himself inside. It had even worse lighting than the rooms and much less space. But he knew that he would just have to make do, trying not to step in the toilet while pulling on his warm thermal pants. He was getting ready for the harsh weather outside as he knew that they'd be getting off at a rest-stop today to look around at everything and enjoy some local entertainment. The conductor had just made it easy and organized cars by who was planning to stop where. That way it minimized struggles with luggage and spacing.

Toris came stumbling out of the bathroom as the train came lurching around a bend. As soon as he had left, another person crammed in behind him. He sighed and began towards the dining hall. Now he was wearing the majority of his warm clothes, thick pants, a deep-green jumper with another shirt under that. His coat and boots were left under his bed back in the bedroom so he had to walk to the dining car in just his thin socks. He'd go back and get everything when it was actually late enough to do so.

As he entered the dining car he could feel the heat suddenly go up from the kitchen. It seemed they had already woken up to power this section of the train, it did connect to Second Class after all. A single waitress was in the car, but instead of waiting on tables like her job title insists, she was leaning against the counter and chatting with one of her co-workers. Then again, it wasn't like there were a lot of people to serve. Toris slid into a seat inside one of the many booths. Within just seconds of him sitting down, Alfred was there beside him.

"Alfred! Sleep well then, I presume? You're up earlier than I thought." The Lithuanian questioned while looking through breakfast options. Of course the goal of the morning would be guessing which ones they actually served here.

"Yeah, totally! Unlike Eduard, I didn't go out drinking so I'm just fine." He smiled over at Toris, leaning against the booth wall. "I think they'll be up soon though, they can't sleep for very much longer. Anyways, what's for breakfast this morning?" He began to look over Toris' shoulder at the menu.

"I'm not exactly sure, we're just going to have to try and guess on this menu. Russians are never predictable people." He laughed slightly along with Alfred. "But maybe, I could find out if the waitress would come over." He tried to wave the young girl over, but she was just too involved in her conversation to care.

"Here, let me try." The blonde mumbled before getting up and walking to a table. Suddenly he pretended to trip and went flying forward onto the people's table. "Sorry! So sorry, don't mind me!" He began to say loudly, the guests staring at him in disbelief. The waitress glanced over in curiosity and Toris waved to her,

"Miss! Can we get our order over here?" She sighed and grabbed her notebook off the counter before heading over. Alfred brushed by her and sat down beside Toris once again. "What do you recommend for breakfast?"

"We have eggs and potato bits with whiskey. Or you can get Breakfast-Borscht with an alcohol of your choice." She seemed rather done with them already, staring at Alfred with an icy cold glare.

"I think we'll just both take the Breakfast-Borscht with a beer. Do..." Alfred paused to count up their few friends. "Four orders of that, actually." The waitress scribbled the order down with new anger and whisked it off towards the kitchen. "So how was your sleep last night then, Toris?" He leaned back against the cushions, arms wrapping around either ends.

"Alright, it could of been better. But it was pretty good for a hot then cold, rocking train in the middle of Siberia." Alfred laughed at this, and the brunette smiled.

"Look, here they come." Alfred pointed towards the door, where it was opening and Eduard and Raivis were coming in along with just a couple others.

"It looks like morning crowd is just waking up then." Toris nodded and gestured the two Baltics towards their table. Eduard and Raivis came striding over. Eduard was grumbling angrily to himself, rubbing his arms quickly and cursing under his breathe. Lucky for him, the inside of the train was dimly lit. Unlike the bright, snowy, outside. Raivis on the other hand was completely silent, eyes barely kept open in exhaustion and his face crusted in saliva and tears from sleeping on his face.

"Did you two sleep well last night then?" Toris grinned as the two slid into the seats across from him and Alfred. Eduard just gave him an angry glare and Raivis yawned but didn't show any sign that he heard him at all.

The waitress had returned back to their table and handed each of them a bowl of Borscht and a beer bottle. Eduard picked up the spoon and began just eating, like a pig. Toris watched him before popping open his beer and beginning to eat with Alfred. Raivis just stared at his food.

/ / /

They were all laughing now, Raivis finally eating his cold soup. Eduard had warmed up a bit and was talking to the others.

"There are some really interesting people in the bar car at midnight." Eduard chuckled as he took a swig from his beer. Like he really needed anymore. Toris rolled his eyes, enjoying this moment with his new friends. However suddenly his face grew serious and stared over Eduard's shoulder. The Estonian began to turn around but Toris hissed at him to stop,

"Don't!" A new group had slid into the booth in front of them. Eduard was sitting back to back with the two young girls from their sleeping car. And on the other side, forced to look right at him, was the man who had ruined their card game the night before and crushed him. Just looking at him made his ribs on the left side begin to hurt. Good thing he had the girls or else he'd be looking at him. Instead he was chatting quietly with the two of them in Russian.

Eduard carefully looked over his shoulder at the others before spinning back around, "Isn't that the guy who sleeps above you..?" Toris just nodded in response, looking across as Alfred before down as his almost empty bowl of Borscht. The man was smiling at his sisters until the waitress interrupted them to take their orders.

"Oh, that's the guy that ruined our game last night." Alfred sneered a bit in dislike. He didn't know why but he already hated that game. He just didn't feel or look right.

"Please don't say anything, alright? We don't know him, he doesn't know us so we don't have to bother them." Toris murmured to Alfred, tugging on his arm a bit. He looked like he wanted to get up and go talk to him. Just then the Russian man looked up, looking at Toris. The two stared for a moment, saying nothing. Then Alfred noticed, But as the Lithuanian talked he began to calm down back into his seat,

"I think you'll be fine, Alfred..."

"Fine, Fine. But if he does something jerky again, I'll talk to him."

"All he did was accidentally mess up our cards!" Alfred huffed in the slightest agreement.

"How about we just all go finish getting dressed then?" Eduard suggested, trying to settle the petty argument. The two across from him sighed and laughed and agreed. And then the four of them got up, Raivis now talking to them.

"Are we going into town on a stop today?" He questioned, while they passed by the booths. Toris glanced back at the man a bit but he hadn't noticed him passing. Or so he thought, he turned and watched him leave after he had turned away.

"Yes, Raivis. Our car will be getting off and we'll catch another train this afternoon." Eduard answered, opening the car door for them. Some of the people were still asleep inside. Obviously they didn't mind if they nearly missed their stop.

Toris navigated his way to the bottom bunk where he began to pull out his snow boots and winter coats. His friends were beginning to do the same. As he sat down onto his bed to lace up his boots he gazed out the window. The seemly endless expanse of winter snow was beginning to be dotted by small houses and buildings, a tell-tale sign that they'd be to their stop soon.

"Make sure you don't forget anything!" He shouted while turning back away from the window and finishing up getting dressed. He stood up to pull on his first indoor coat, and then his thick, long, black one on.

Just as he was turning away from his own bag packed of things, the others were pulling their bags onto their backs. The train was beginning to slow down now, they had arrived. People getting off began to funnel to the front of the train as the doors opened, instantly hitting passengers with a staggeringly cold burst of wind. Snow blasted against their faces and bright light assaulted their eyes.

Eduard squinted his eyes and groaned under his breathe. It was obvious that his hangover was doing nothing for the current situation. Raivis acted the same way. Toris plowed out into the cold with the crowd, Alfred following him all the way. The American was swearing constantly at the cold and rubbing his gloved hands together.

Toris looked back at the train as it closed the doors and roared off into in the frosty distance. Now that he thought about it, where were the other third-class passengers? The ones in their car hadn't even woken up and the family in the dining car hadn't come in to grab their luggage...

He shrugged it off and turned back around, wheeling his suitcase behind him. The others were already a couple of paces ahead of him...

"Where's the theatre that we're going to?" Alfred shouted over the howling winds, trudging on forward in the storm. Toris reached into his overcoat pocket and started to pull out a paper with all the addresses of theaters in the small city. Suddenly, the wind snatched right from his hands and it was blown up and away into the wind's mighty current.

"Uhhh, I believe it's by a pub and a Summer Garden?" Toris yelled back, trying to recall what the paper had told him. As they walked along the road he could see a black car pulling up beside them. It was a large car, a good sized one for a family. The window slowly rolled down and the man in the drivers seat yelled to them,

"Where are you all going?" The group stopped at looked at the man. He had long, uneven hair and was wrapped up in many scarves, next to him was a girl with a similar hair style and just as many over garments as him.

"The theatre near the Summer Garden!" Eduard shouted back in response. It wasn't a surprise that someone pulled over, it was just a surprise that they spoke English to them.

"We can give you a ride to the theatre if you'd like but it'll cost you some money!" The man said, just as loudly as before, unlocking his car. The team of four all exchange desperate looks before throwing open the car doors and cramming inside. They laid their luggage out on top of each other, teeth chattering and crying out in discomfort when someone stepped on their hand or toes.

Once they seemed to be relatively situated, the man began to drive off towards the Theatre. Alfred was amazed at how he could do that when they couldn't even see two feet in front of them while walking around outside...

"Are you foreigners from America or Britain?" The lady in the passenger seat asked. She looked back at them with her smile. Her eyes shone bright green and blue, a mystic fusion of the two colours. She had a thick fur collar around her neck, as well as a fur hat, though the more stylish kind, on her head and a long fur coat, all a mixed white and brown.

"America." Alfred mumbled from around Eduard. Then he pointed to each of them as well as he could, "Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania." The girl in front smiled and nodded. It was nice seeing so many foreigners from such interesting places.

"Me and Basch here are from Switzerland. I'm Erika." She hand out one of her gloved hands to them, hoping one of them would shake it. Raivis moved his arm through the mass of people to shake her hand. "And what would be all of your names?" Her smile never faltered as she took her hand back after the short greeting.

"Raivis Galante." He butted in again, smiling as much as he could while Alfred was crushing one of his legs. The others introduced themselves following suit. What an odd group the four of them were... Even odder was the people that they were in company with. Two blonde Germans, giving strangers a ride to a Russian theatre, in the middle of a record breaking blizzard.

"So why are you four here together in such a small town?" Erika asked. Her companion, Basch, just tsked at her friendliness. She was always a curious one, nagging at him to pull over and pick up foreigners like them. You could tell when someone was a Russian or not. These lot were too wind blown, too shocked by the utter wind and cold. If they were really from around here, then they would be use to it by now.

"Well I think we all have our own reasons, but really it's because we're on the Railroad and had a rest stop. The four of us share a cabin together." Eduard responded, looking at his three companions beside, er, around him. Most of them were here however, because of either family or financial problems. Erika nodded understandingly, listening to what the Estonian had to say.

"Me and Basch are staying here for the winter with Grandmother. She enjoys all the cold." The younger grinned, thinking about that old woman and her odd obsession with the winter season. "She use to be a Figure Skater! I think she missed all this a bit back at our Summer Home..." Raivis' eyes went wide,

"You have a summer home?!" He exclaimed, a bit in shock. Only those with millions of dollars had summer homes around here! "You must be like... a fashion designer, or an inventor or a figure skater yourself!" He gasped, staring at her in awe. She was absolutely amazing! Erika giggled a bit, shaking her head. They weren't any of those... But they were;

"Chocolate company. Our family owns a chocolate company back in Switzerland." Basch butted himself into the conversation. "We sell the most chocolate in Europe, second most in the world." Raivis' eyes however, lit up even more when he heard this instead. A chocolate company?! That sounded both wonderful and delicious to him!

"Do you think maybe I could try some of your chocolate?!" He asked, his whole face taking on a new childish grin. The others in the back suddenly took a newfound interest in the conversation when they heard the mention of chocolate. They all knew that it was going to be a long time before any of them got any sort of chocolate or anything. Things were expensive on the Trans-Siberian Railroad and sweet European foods were not plentiful for the third class passengers.

"Maybe if we all meet again someday!" She paused, looking out the window at the blizzard. "We don't have any of it with us right now." The four let out a groan of disappointment, all of them collapsing back into the seats again. The car had now come to a stop however, and both Basch and Erika were getting out. "We are here at the theatre!" She announced to all them. Her voice was but a quite whisper outside in the storm. The group began to shove and elbow each other, dragging suitcases over hands and feet alike. Finally, the four men emerged from the vehicle and followed the German pair inside.

Erika turned to the four once inside, dusting some snow off of her big fur coat. The lobby of the theatre smelled like smoke and beer, quiet common for the area. There was Russian talking from inside a set of double doors, they were calling people in for the show. There was one guy at every floor, asking them for their tickets and directing them to their seats.

"Oh! We still haven't gotten out tickets yet!" Toris exclaimed, looking around the booth or stand where they could buy some. Erika shook her head, Basch giving her a warning glare.

"You guys can come and sit with Basch and me! We got a whole balcony to ourselves, and only two seats filled so far." She proposed, Basch's face turning red. He looked like was about to explode with anger! The Baltics and the American glanced back and forth between each other before all just shrugging their shoulders at once. "Oh good, Come on then!" She chuckled and ducked below a dark curtain.

Basch gave each of them a death stare before following behind Alfred onto the balcony. As soon as Erika had pulled off her coat and sat down in one of the seats, Raivis sat down beside her, smiling. She just smiled back and began to whisper to him quietly. It seemed that this would be a fun performance...

/ / /

"It looks like the storm has died down now, Yipee!" Alfred shouted, running out of the theatre and spinning around in the snow. Toris and Eduard began to laugh, following him out. Next Raivis and Erika walked out, chatting and laughing together. They were both speaking in an odd dialect of German. Raivis' wasn't perfect, but the language ran on his Dad's side of the family. Basch still had the same angered look on his face, across crossed on his chest.

"Would you like to go on a walk around the park here?" Erika asked quietly, keeping her voice low, just in-case her older brother over heard. Raivis glanced back with her at him. There was no they could either get away Basch or the rest of the group... Except, now the other three were arguing about what to do with the remaining time left in town, Basch watching them with a disgusted look on his face. Suddenly Raivis felt a tug on his hand, Erika pulling him after her as she slowly backed away from the crowd. Once they were a few paces away she turned and ran, hand interlocked with the Latvian's.

"Are you sure that this is safe? I don't think he'll be very happy and I don't like getting yelled at-" The young German girl quickly hushed him with her finger, slowing to a stop and dragging him through an alley and onto the other side where a snow covered park was.

"Don't worry. He won't even notice we're gone, Basch can get a bit distracted sometimes." Erika reassured him. They'd be just fine... Right? After letting out a sigh of relief Erika began to guide the other blonde along the almost completely covered path. "Basch hates when I talk to foreigners. He thinks it's very improper of me, he doesn't stop me anyhow." Raivis looked a bit confused, trying to piece on the things together.

"So is Basch your husband then?" He questioned, looking over at him. She looked a bit young to marry, but then again, anything was possible with these kinds of people. Erika looked a bit shocked at first, before suddenly breaking out into bright laughter.

"Oh no, no, no! Basch is my big brother! We have grown up together our whole lives, yet he is a bit overprotective at some times." She stopped down in a clearing, turning towards him. "The two of us seem to get that mistake a lot, however... Does that mean you were worried in the slightest?"

"Just a bit." Raivis shrugged, looking off nervously into the distance.

"Do you know what the word Serendipity means, Raivis?" She asked while continuing on walking beside him. She was sliding her hands inside a large fur muff and looking off into the distance of the snow. After the story everything looked lovely here, like a winter wonderland.

"A happy accident, right?" Raivis responded after a moment of thinking. He stuck his own hands under his armpits and leaned forward. It was terribly cold outside as well though...

"Ja, that's it." Erika looked over at Raivis with a warm smile. "Some people think it's a bit like fate, that these accidents bring you closer to your destiny." They were nearing up on a frozen pond now. "Why else would that storm pickup right then? You got lost, and Basch couldn't take the back roads. That's serendipity, isn't it?"

/ / /

"So you look like you had a fun time then," Eduard teased as they walked down the long train corridor. They had just gotten on less than ten minutes ago and the train was off again. After finally tracking down the two youngest members of the party they had all gone to eat lunch together. Raivis was soaked in ice cold water but smiling all the same. They stopped at the small bathroom and the Latvian rushed inside to get changed out of his clingy clothes. "I'm going to be in the cabin with Toris and Alfred, I'll meet you there." He said, knocking on the bathroom door.

Eduard headed back down the hall into their sleeping cabin. Toris and Alfred had folded a bed down and pulled out the small table so they could chat and have a cup of coffee. The Estonian took his place on the bed across from them,

"Raivis is changing right now, he should be in soon. What are we talking about then?" Eduard asked, raising his blonde eyebrows so high that they disappeared into his hair. They had looked like they were laughing and a good time before he walked in on them.

"Oh nothing, just about all the people we might meet on this trip. Alfred was making a bit of fun of it." Toris smiled and Alfred smirked, shaking his head. "Feel free to join in, we are rather bored!" Now this got all three of them laughing. Suddenly the door slid open behind them and Raivis walked in and sat down next to Eduard.

"So what now?"


	5. A New Beginning

The Wintry Affair

Chapter 5;

'A New Beginning'

"In two days we'll be up by the Ski Resort. That's when you're meeting up with your friend, right?" Toris asked, his finger tracing the shape of the railroad on the large map of Russia and Siberia. The four were all crowded around a small table inside the dining car, having a beer and looking at when and where all their next stops would be on the ride.

"Yup, and I'd like you guys to meet the family as well." Eduard nodded with a warm smile. "Alfred already knows them but, Raivis, Toris, you two should as well." The two other Baltics both made noises of agreement. Raivis leaned over the map, tapping his way down the tracks. He was excited for destinations like the resort and one of the villages they'd visit but his mind could really only focus on the small town with the theatre and the girl he had met inside it...

He sighed lightly, reaching into his pocket to pull out his lucky token. He had first found it one day when he was wading through the water in the summer in Latvia. He went out a bit too deep and something pulled him under the waves. However, when Raivis came too from the collision to his head he was laying on the beach all alone and in his balled up fist was the token. He never knew where the token came from or who saved his life but he took it as a sign. Ever since, holding the small coin inside his balled up fist seemed to save him lots of pain. However, as he brought his hand up, there was nothing inside. His hands went back into his pockets, turning them inside out and beginning to panic a bit now.

"My token is gone... It's not with me anymore." He mumbled, searching the back pockets and the pockets of his sweater as well. The other three looked up towards him, watching him pat himself all the way down in search for the golden coin. How could it be gone?! Raivis stumbled up from his seat, looking around invade it fell out of his pocket or something. Nowhere... It was actually gone. His face paled and he began to shake, just on the verge of bursting into tears. Eduard looked a bit shocked, not expecting this.

"I'm... I'm sure it's probably somewhere in your stuff, it'll be okay, Raivis!" Toris comforted, putting a hand on his shoulder in a friendly gesture. Raivis bit at his bottom lip, his shoulders trembling as he fought back the tears. Alfred scooted out of the seats to come around and put a hand on the other side of him.

"Come on, I'm sure you'll find it!" Eduard, panicking, stood up as well and smiled at him, pulling his nose up like a pig to try and make him laugh. Raivis instead just shoved them away from him, turned and disappeared out of the dining car.

"Jeez, we were just trying to make him feel better..." Alfred huffed a bit, putting his hands on his hips and staring after him. "That wasn't a very nice way to thank us was it...?" He sighed and flopped back into the booth, the other two following right behind him. All three of them knew how much that one single token meant to Raivis, but what else could they do? They certainly couldn't magically summon it or make him suddenly feel better, that's for sure. Toris sighed a little bit, looking over at the other two with a slightly disappointed smile.

All of them knew that they were just trying to help Raivis yet he just had to get upset with the whole lot of them. Toris suddenly got up and decided that he might as well try and follow behind the Latvian. Maybe he could comfort the younger male, after all that seemed to be one of his specialties. He announced quickly to the others where he was going before turning and racing out of the dining car and down the long train corridor.

Down the hall one of the doors to a small side bar and smoking lounge opened up and a man stepped out, a glass of vodka in one hand and a slightly lit cigarette in the other. Toris noticed him at the very last second and tried unsuccessfully to stop his own momentum. His eyes widened a little bit at the impending collision and he let out a warning shout to the person. The man turned quickly and spotted him just as he came hurling into him, knocking them over slightly. The drink went flying onto the brunette and he dropped the dying cigarette. The man managed to move just slightly to stop himself from going down but the other man was not so lucky, hitting their shoulders and heading towards the floor. He quickly grabbed his torso however, looping an arm around him and pulling the alcohol soaked man back up to his feet.

"Ah, Th-Thank you...!" Toris stammered, gasping slightly at the close call he almost had with the train floor. He was extremely grateful for being caught, even if it meant being drenched in vodka. He slowly looked up and brushed his hair back behind his hair. However he was in for a big shock when he noticed who it was. It was none other than the Russian man who had crashed their card game and who he'd seen this very morning inside the dining car. The man seemed to recognise him as well as a small expression of shock passed over his face.

"We uhm, we seem to keep meeting like this... Crashing into each other, I mean!" The Lithuanian said with a tiny nervous chuckle. The other man laughed with him as well. They had made two awkward introductions between each other now. Maybe this one wouldn't be so bad now without Alfred and the others to butt in and ruin it.

"I am very sorry for accident though, I did not mean to throw my drink at you but I had to catch you instead." Ivan began to unbutton his sweater and hand the frayed and grey fabric over to him. "You will catch sickness if you do not dry off." The Russian's lips turned up a little bit around the edges into a friendly smile. Hopefully the mistake he made wouldn't be so bad.

"No, No! It's perfectly fine, it's my fault for heading down the hall so fast and running right into you!" He shook his head swiftly in denial of the sweater but when Ivan pressured him to take it once again he pulled the light sweater on over his shirt and buttoned it up over the stain. It had small brown buttons that were almost falling off the fabric, loose strings surrounding them and cracks on the surface of the wood. This was indeed, a vintage sweater that must of been passed down through the ages.

"Well, thank you very much for this Ivan but I think I'm just going to go and change anyway. Oh, and I need to meet a friend there as well so," Toris chuckled nervously and slipped his hands into his back pockets before rocking back on his feet and looking up at him with an awkward smile. He gave him a small parting gesture before continuing in the same direction that he had before. Ivan exchanged the gesture with a small smile before looking down at the broken glass at his feet. Wonderful, time to clean this up himself now...

/ / /

That night Toris ate with all the boys again and played some pool with them before turning in for the night inside the living car. However the night had made him realise more than the fact that he was terrible at pool. In fact, it made him see just how much of an outsider he was from the other three. That trio was so lively, so much alike, and they had so much in common. But when the torch of conversation was passed to him? He was a completely different kind of person and now the thought of that left him feeling lonely and awake late at night. 11 pm and he was still up, staring at the bottom of Alfred's bunk above him. This whole train ride had been to get away from the troubles of life and maybe discover a new side of himself. And while he had made friends, he'd also reconnected with a long dead side of himself that he rather didn't like... The isolated one.

He huffed quietly and heaved himself up off the bunk into a standing position. This just couldn't do, there was no way he was getting to sleep like this and the sound of everyone else snoring wasn't exactly helping either. He took slow steps towards the door, his numb feet causing him to stumble a bit as he reached for the small handle. He could of sworn that he put on socks before bed... He opened the door and stepped out into the hall, one foot in front of the other.

"You can not sleep either?" A voice startled him and he jumped with a small squeak before noticing it was Ivan. He was sitting against the wall across from the windows and looking up at him with those sparkling eyes of his. He scooted over a bit to make room for the other and patted the ground beside him.

"Yeah, I just... I haven't been feeling very good lately and it's hard to sleep." The man sighed and pressed his back against the wall, sliding down to fill the spot beside him. From here the two could see the stars from the windows as they raced through the snowy Russian countryside.

"What is making you not feel well?" Ivan asked as he looked over at the other man beside him who just laughed and shook his head. "I am serious, do tell me. I like to listen to people." He urged on again with a nod of his head.

"I don't know, I guess it's just this whole trip. I came on it to forget life for a while and not have to worry for once, but lately all I can think about is my loneliness and all the problems I'll face once I get back. I feel so dull now..." The Lithuanian started, letting out his worries onto the other. Ivan nodded with each thing he said, seeming to actually take it in unlike other people he talked to. But it was easy for him to sympathise with, he related strongly to those words of him. But the last part made him frown and his eyebrows furrow.

"You are not dull, Toris. I know I am roommate that you met one day ago but listen, I know good person when I see one." He corrected him firmly before noticing his tone and lightening up his expression with a small smile. "I want you to look at stars Toris, do you see the constellations?"

"I do." He responded quietly. His emerald eyes followed his finger towards the dark night sky in front of them.

"There are many constellations but I do not think that there is single star that is brighter than you are, and brighter than you can be, Toris." At this his eyes widened a bit, that wasn't right! Was it? Maybe he was just saying that... But it seemed totally sincere.

"Ivan, I... Thank you, but I don't think that's right. I'm just, well, me!" He spluttered out, shaking his head in denial just like he had with the sweater but once again he pressured it onto him. Of course, he was learning that he was like that always.

"Here, come. I have good story for you. It is about my mother." He began, prompting the other to listen to him and move in and as he continued Toris felt himself automatically drawn in to rest his head on Ivan's shoulder as his voice spoke and calmed him. "So you see, when I was very young my mother would tell me proverb. It goes a bit like this," and so it began, a long night of Ivan quietly telling his endless stories and Toris listening to him and his advice. But instead of taking in his words he more of used it as a lullaby and soon... He had drifted to sleep without Ivan's notice, head still on his shoulder and body slumped against him.

Yet neither of them knew about the long relationship that this day would be the start of.


	6. A Warm Welcome

The Wintry Affair

Chapter 6;

'A Warm Welcome'

In the morning Toris awoke to find himself in his own bed with a blanket drawn up to his chin and an old sweater wrapped under his neck for extra cushion on the hard pillows. At first he wondered if it had all been a dream, seeing Ivan in the hall, listening to his story, and falling asleep on him like that. It had to of been, he eventually decided, because for the next two days whenever him and Ivan locked eyes for a moment neither of them said a thing. Sometimes he could tell that Ivan wanted to say something to him when they encountered each other, but no words ever came out. And Toris never provoked it either.

Those two days towards the next stop were long and cold, and as they made their way across the plains it just seemed to get even colder. Every time you looked out the window all you could see was a swirling storm of white, a frozen wasteland almost outside the warm interior of the train. Almost no one was looking forward to the next stop due to the weather, and many had even cancelled their plans for the day. But not Toris and his newly made pals. Eduard had insisted that they had to still go visit the resort and stay there for the few days that train would be stalled there to stash up for a long ride across Siberia. And now they had finally arrived.

"Hey Toris, are you all packed up yet? Eduard and Raivis already headed up to the front to get off!" Alfred called out as he stuck his head into the cabin to check on his progress so far. Just as he finished talking the brunette snapped shut the clasps on his bag and turned towards Alfred with a bright smile.

"Yup, just finished up! Has Eduard already called a cab for us? I'd hate to have to stand around in the cold for forever." Toris laughed and headed for the door, walking side-by-side with Alfred down the corridor. Hopefully the resort wouldn't be too long of a drive from the town.

"I think so. If not, I'm sure he can just call one ahead now and we can wait inside the train, ya'?" Alfred glanced over with his words before glancing towards the group of people around the doors of the train. He wheeled his suitcase up beside him and stopped next to Eduard who was chatting with some other person who was waiting on another party member as well. Toris also joined the group, checking with Eduard that he had called the cab company before giving them the all clear to head on out. The doors slid open and the small crowd of people poured, heading on their way. For most people getting off, this was their final stop. As Toris began reluctantly walking off the train, wincing as the cold wind whipped against his face, he heard a voice speak up behind him.

"Toris!" Shouted someone from behind him, which was followed by frantic footsteps and more shouting of his name. "Wait, Toris!" He turned his head, jumping slightly as Ivan seemed to appear right behind him. Hadn't he overheard that him and his siblings were staying on the train during this stop? "Where are going to with your friends?" He asked him curiously.

"Ivan, Hi there." He said, tilting his head a bit and brushing some hair away from his mouth. "I'm... Well I'm headed to a ski resort to visit some friends of Eduard's. Why? I thought you were staying with your sisters tonight." As he spoke he could hear the others getting ahead of him, and the sound of a cab pulling up for them. He'd need to make this quick.

"Ah, I was. But Natalya and Irunya both made new friends and did not want to bother them." He sighed as his shoulders drooped a little bit. "I thought that I could maybe go with you? It would be very nice." Ivan suggested with a nervous smile. Behind Toris the others began to urge him to hurry up and get in the car. They probably wouldn't have the room for five passengers in there...

"I don't know, Ivan. The others might think it's weird and I don't think we'll have room in the car..." He admitted with a shrug of his shoulders and an anxious expression. "I hope you have a good night though! Have fun on the train for me!" He chuckled a bit and turned, briskly walking to the cab and looking back at him once he reached the door. The other four had already gotten in, Eduard in the passenger seat and the other two in the back with one spot left for him. Toris began to climb in, pulling the door shut behind him but he was quickly stopped. Something was pulling against him. And of course when he looked up, there he was, Ivan again.

"Toris..." He started, giving him what could be considered the most pitiful expression you'd ever seen. It's wasn't a request, but more of a cry or a plea for friendship and acceptance.

"Fine," he mumbled and let go of the door handle before standing up slightly in the back of the cab. "Come on in, now who here can I sit on?" He asked the others in the back as Ivan climbed into the car beside him and shut the door. As soon as the door was shut the cab driver took off and Toris fell back, landing against Ivan. It was like the card match that introduced them all over again. Except this time, there wasn't a mess, but still an upset Alfred. He didn't like this violet eyed man, and Toris could tell. His hate was potent and smelled like ketchup.

"Thank you, Toris." Ivan mouthed quietly to him over the chatter of Eduard and Raivis talking to each other about the resort. He truly did seem grateful, to not be left without a friend for once. And it somehow made Toris happy that he was coming along, and that he was sharing his seat with him now. He was a kind man, he could see it in his eyes, and one that he wouldn't mind getting to know better either.

The car ride up to the ski resort was relatively uneventful, but not quite mundane either. Toris spent the either time in Ivan's lap, and even had a nice conversation with him about his sisters. He knew that his younger one loved him with all her heart, and was a rather quiet girl at first. In fact, for the longest time they thought she was mute because she rarely spoke to anyone but Ivan as a child. She also liked to collect knives, but Ivan said that was a secret. He told him another secret about how his older sister was in love with her pen pal from over seas, and that she still only believed in real mail. Ivan sure seemed to tell a lot of secrets to someone he'd only recently met. But he said that he trusted him already.

Soon enough they'd reached a big wooden lodge with bright lights strung around it's porch and a brick red sign out front. This was the place that Eduard had described to them on their way. As soon as the car pulled up, the front doors of the lodge flew open and out ran a short and chubby women. She had small legs, big eyes, and hair the colour of straw. This women wore a snow jumpsuit that was rolled up around her waist and a pair of fur trimmed boots. On top of her short hair was small white beret, somehow staying put on her head in all of the wind.

"Eduard!" She shouted as he came around the car and was immediately met with a bear hug from her. "Eduard, you made it! I was starting to get worried that you'd never show you!" She laughed and smushed her cheek against his chest. Alfred paid the driver as he laughed at Eduard and went around to pull out their luggage. "Your bags! I'll help get those!" She insisted cheerily and pulled Ivan's small suitcase from him as he got out and took another one from Alfred.

"Of course we made it! I wasn't just going to forget about visiting one of my best friends." Eduard smiled and took out a bag as well to help her pull them all inside. "You look really good. I haven't seen you in like, what, three or four years? You've lost some weight!" He chimed as the lot headed into the warm lodge.

"Awe, Eddy, you're always so sweet to me! I've actually gained weight since you saw me, but thank you! Running the resort really has been a lot of work recently." The woman laughed and set the suitcase down in the main lounge. The others glanced around at the tall ceiling and beautiful wilderness decorations as they walked in. Who would expect to find this beautiful place all the way out here in the nothingness?

"Running the resort? Wait, you guys actually own this place?" Eduard asked, suddenly confused. He'd had no idea! At the time she'd only told them that they were staying here.

"Did I forget to mention that? We became such good friends with the elderly couple that ran it before that we couldn't leave. When they passed away there was no one else to run the place and we took over." She explained with a warm smile towards them all. She appeared so sweet and kind, like an angel almost.

"Wow that's... That's really amazing, Taika. I'm proud of you!" Eduard said, seeking a bit surprised by it all. It was then that he realised that he was just allowing the others to wander around and hadn't introduced anyone yet. "Everyone," he raised his voice, catching the others attention. "This is Taika, my lovely old friend." He told them as he patted one of her small hands. "Taika, this is Toris, Raivis, Eduard, and... Ivan?" He finished, questioning himself a little bit but was confirmed by Toris' solid nod of approval.

"It is so wonderful to meet all of you! My husband should be down in just a moment—," She began before looking towards the stairs and noticing a rather tall man heading down them. "Well there he is! Everyone, this is my lovely husband Berwald. And Berwald, you remember Eduard, right? Well these are his friends that he brought with him!" Taika beamed up at him as he joined him, put an arm around his waist and leaned her again against him. Edward appeared to grow tense, annoyed even by these actions. Berwald just nodded to all of them as a friendly greeting. "I'm going to take them all to their rooms dear, would you mind working on lunch? I'm sure they're all starving after having to drive all the way up here!" Taika said with a wave of her hands before heading towards the stairs.

"Everyone follow after me, we have very nice bedrooms! However, some of you may have to share because we're currently fixing some plumbing issues we had last week," She shouted back to them as she headed towards the stairs and began climbing them. Everyone else quickly picked up their baggage and followed over, gazing in awe at the house as they passed through it. She lead them to the first room, unlocking the door and pushing it open. "A room that can fit two, who wants to take it?"

Taika held the door open and looked over them, waiting for someone to volunteer to share a bedroom. The five glanced back and forth between each other. Yes, they were already sharing close quarters on the train, but this somehow felt different to them.

"We will, Taika." Eduard volunteered, pulling his suitcase behind him into the room. Raivis followed close behind, instantly going into the check everything out inside. Alfred smirked a bit, that means they'd get their own rooms then.

"Next stop!" She chimed and wandered off down the hall again until she reached another door to an available room. "Here you guys go! It's a pretty nice room, so I don't think you'll have a problem with it." As Taika held the door open Toris took the first brave step in.

"Wait, what?! You can't expect all three of us to share a room! At least not us and... Him!" Alfred spluttered out, pointing over at Ivan who walked in behind Toris and was exploring their new room. Taika just giggled a little bit and gave Alfred a wiggle of her fingers before handing him the room keys and walking back down the hall. "Hey, I—!" He began, before sighing and giving up. "I guess I'll have to be even closer to the loser now," he said to himself before turning on his heel and going in to check out what was happening inside.

Ivan and Toris had both flocked to the back wall together, staring out of a large window that lead to a balcony. Alfred didn't know why you wanted a balcony here but Ivan seemed fascinated by it and Toris just smiled. Ivan had his hands and face pressed against it, fogging up the frozen windowpane with every breathe he took. Toris turned towards Alfred with that smile still on his face before walking towards him.

"I think the snow looks prettier than it did in the city. It's almost like everything has some sort of value out there." Toris pondered out loud, moving to flop backwards onto the bed. He gave a deep sigh at the overall softness of his landing, still grinning. For some reason he was already feeling much better than before and he wasn't sure why. Ivan turned around at the sigh to look at them, leaving imprints of himself in the condensation. As he looked up he got Alfred's gaze, the two quickly breaking it away with an awkward glance towards the floor.

All seem situated at the grand lodge, and the stay of almost two days here began. Alfred wasn't looking forward to being isolated with these two, specifically Ivan. But neither of them seemed to care, in fact they seemed almost enthralled to of gotten put together. The friendship between this band of travelling misfits was growing stronger every single day.


End file.
